Questions You Should Ask an Answering Service Medical

Hiring an answering service for your medical practice could be an overwhelming task. There are many healthcare answering services, with each offering something different and unique so that a doctor could easily get confused about which one to hire. Here are some of the key questions you should ask an answering service medical in order to select the best one for your practice.

• How much experience do you have in this field?

It is better to employ an experienced firm for answering the calls from your patients. Experienced firms understand the challenges of this business and therefore are well equipped to handle them. They understand how important it is to pick up every call within the stipulated time period and how important it is guard the sensitive information of patients. They are able to serve you in a better manner.

• Do they have trained staff?

It is important for operators working in medical call centers to undergo specific training that enables them to handle medical calls effectively. Such training helps them speak to patients in a pleasant voice with compassion. It also trains them on how to respond to queries, how to forward messages, and how to handle emergency situations.

• Does the answering service medical adhere to HIPPA laws?

It is important for medical call centers to guard the sensitive information of patients in order to adhere to HIPPA laws. Therefore, to prevent yourself from legal complications, you should look for call answering firms that are HIPPA compliant.

• What are the different plans?

Ask the firm what kind of plans they have for doctors. Basically, there are two types of plans—per-unit rates and per-call rates. In per-unit plans, you have to pay according to the number of units, where a unit could be anything like 1 second, 20 seconds, or 60 seconds. And in per-call rate plans, you have to pay according to the number of calls. You should choose a plan that will give you maximum value for your money.

Answering service medical offers immense benefits at fraction of the cost that you would pay to a receptionist for this task. However, make sure you choose the right firm, otherwise it may backfire. Look for firms that offer free trial periods in order to help you evaluate their services without any risks. This will help you learn about the quality of service offered by the firm and what they can do for your medical practice.